Experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are meeting in Stockholm on 24–25 March to strengthen laboratory preparedness for major future respiratory disease threats.
The workshop brings together specialists from the five Eastern Partnership countries to review how public health laboratories coped during the COVID-19 pandemic and other respiratory outbreaks, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported on Wednesday.
Discussions focus on challenges including workforce pressure, equipment constraints, supply chain and procurement problems, the use of digital tools, and the capacity to co-ordinate responses.
Participants are examining what worked and what did not, how obstacles were handled, and what is needed to sustain progress.
They are also exchanging experiences with experts from EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries and discussing laboratory capacity assessments and recommendations for preparedness plans tailored to national circumstances.
Part of a three-year regional programme
The workshop forms part of “Health Resilience in the Eastern Partnership”, a three-year initiative running from 2025 to 2027 and funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood, the ECDC said.
The programme supports Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in strengthening health systems and preparing for cross-border health threats.
ECDC is leading work on public health preparedness and response within the initiative, including supporting a regional community of practice and helping countries develop knowledge and tools adapted to local needs.
